"You did a good job keeping it a secret. You only told us when you went back to meet your parents," Zhao Mingyue said with a smile.
Yu Youqing blushed and wiped her hands on her knees: "Stop making fun of us."
Zhao Mingyue said jokingly, "That's great, now that you two are together, I can prepare one less wedding gift. I think it would be better if everyone just stayed together internally." Her words were clearly directed at Li Chunmei and Wang Xingkai.
Mao Jianlan and Yu Youqing both blushed, stealing glances at each other, unsure of what to say. Zhao Mingyue laughed, "Just kidding. Don't worry, I'll definitely give you a big gift when you get married."
Yu Youqing said, "I'm going home. I wanted to ask if there's anything you need me to bring back."
"Will Gladiolus go back with you too?"
Yu Youqing glanced at Mao Jianlan: "Let's go to her house first, and then go back to my house."
It seems like they're getting ready to get married. "When are you planning to get married?"
Mao Jianlan said, "We need to go back and discuss this. If it's not this winter vacation, we might have to wait until next winter vacation."
"So you're going home for your wedding banquet? You two should get married soon, preferably this year. My third brother is also getting married at the end of the year, and I should go back too, so I can join you for your wedding banquet." Zhao Mingyue said happily. Mao Jianlan's acceptance of Yu Youqing meant that she had completely moved on from her previous heartbreak.
Yu Youqing said, "We should hold the wedding banquet at home, but we will invite our friends here for a simple meal."
Finally, Zhao Mingyue asked Yu Youqing to take some money back with her, and also to take a few pieces of clothing she had made herself back to her father: "If it's convenient, could you please bring me some tea when you come from home?"
“Sure, tea leaves don’t take up much space,” Yu Youqing readily agreed.
"Then I'll trouble you. Please have lunch at my place. It's too hot outside, so stay until it cools down later," Zhao Mingyue said.
After Yu Youqing and Mao Jianlan left, Zhao Mingyue and her daughter chatted and talked about them. Hu Nianchun said, "Youqing has changed a lot since he came to Beijing to study. He wasn't so bold before."
Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "That's right, environment and circumstances can change a lot about a person. Youqing has really made something of himself."
Hu Nianchun suddenly laughed and said, "There's something you should just listen to as a joke. After you both came to Beijing to study, you met Youqing's mother while picking tea in the tea mountains. She chatted with you and said that now that you two are both studying in Beijing and have become classmates, and since you came from the same place, it would be even better if you could be together."
Zhao Mingyue looked at her mother in surprise: "You mean, Youqing's mother actually wanted me to be her daughter-in-law?"
Hu Nianchun looked at his daughter and smiled, "I'm afraid it's not just his mother who's thought about it; Youqing himself has thought about it too. In the first few years, when you didn't come back for summer vacation, Youqing would come to our house from time to time to help with chores when he did. I could tell that this kid probably had feelings for you. But he probably knew that you and Xiao Shen were together, so he didn't dare to say anything. I've never mentioned this to you either. Now that you've both started your own families, this is just something to talk about."
Zhao Mingyue listened to her mother's words without saying a word for a long time. So Yu Youqing had liked her? She thought about it carefully and realized there were indeed some clues. However, she had always treated him like a younger brother and hadn't considered that possibility. "Mom, let's just treat this as casual conversation between us. Please don't mention it to anyone else. It wouldn't be good if his wife found out. Youqing is an honest and upright person; he knows his limits. Even if he liked me, that's all in the past. I'm married now, and he's getting married soon. He hasn't said anything, so let's just pretend we don't know anything." Given Yu Youqing's sense of responsibility and morality, he certainly wouldn't betray Mao Jianlan. At least for so many years, he had never tried to say anything to her and had always maintained a friendly distance, which showed he had sufficient self-control.
Hu Nianchun smiled and said, "Of course, I would never talk about this carelessly. His girlfriend is your classmate, right? She's a very nice girl, and she's more than good enough for Qing."
Zhao Mingyue sighed, "Yes, she and Xu Yue's older brother dated for a while, but Xu Yue's mother was adamant about not agreeing, so they broke up. Since Xu Yue was the one who set them up, I feel really bad for her. She was depressed for a long time, but now she's with You Qing, and she's finally come to her senses. Thank goodness. Mom, don't tell anyone else about this. It's just between the two of us. If we talk too much, some people might gossip."
Hu Nianchun nodded: "I know, Mom understands what to say and what not to say."
Zhao Mingyue knew, of course, that her mother wasn't one to gossip or nag, which was why she told her about it. Mao Jianlan and Shen Qixue's relationship was actually just a matter of correspondence for a while; aside from their roommates, probably no one else knew, including Yu Youqing. If she wanted to tell Yu Youqing, she would; if she didn't want to, she absolutely couldn't bring herself to say it and cause resentment. In short, both of them had come to their senses and moved on, which was a good thing.
Zhao Mingyue tore at the calendar pages on the wall every day, counting down the days until Shen Xuyue returned and the day her baby was born. Shen Xuyue said he would be back by early August at the latest, and her due date was mid-August, right in the hottest time of the year. Giving birth at this time had its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage was that it would be easier to take care of the baby, and she wouldn't have to worry about the baby getting cold. However, she herself would have to spend her postpartum confinement period in the hottest days of the year. According to the old custom, one couldn't bathe or wash their hair during postpartum confinement. Not being able to bathe or wash their hair for a whole month was driving Zhao Mingyue crazy.
While the mother and daughter were chatting, Zhao Mingyue said with a bitter expression, "Mom, is it really true that you can't take a bath or wash your hair during postpartum confinement?"
Hu Nianchun said, "The old rule is no, but taking a bath should be okay, though not for the first few days. You shouldn't wash your hair either. When your second aunt gave birth to Minggang, it was also this month, and she felt so uncomfortable that she insisted on washing her hair. Every winter these past few years, she gets a headache from catching a cold. Haven't you seen her always wrapped in a handkerchief?"
Zhao Mingyue looked at her mother with distress: "I can go without washing my hair for a week or two, but I can't go ten days or half a month without washing it. In this weather, I'll stink if I don't wash my hair."
Hu Nianchun looked at his daughter and said, "There's nothing we can do; that's how it is when women give birth."
Zhao Mingyue had been eagerly awaiting Shen Xuyue's return, but now she was having second thoughts. She really didn't want him to see her in her disheveled state. Zhao Mingyue had no choice but to ask Fang Zhen for help. Fang Zhen had also given birth in the summer and was still on maternity leave. Knowing Zhao Mingyue's predicament, Fang Zhen said, "I also endured half a month before washing my hair; it was too long to bear. You can warm up some alcohol and then use cotton to apply it to your scalp. I was thinking of doing that too, but Qi Xue wasn't home, and I couldn't find anyone to help, so I had to grit my teeth and bear it."
Hearing her say that, Zhao Mingyue felt a renewed hope that Shen Xuyue would return. If he came back, at least someone would help her with this work.
By the end of July, Shen Xuyue finally returned. He rushed to Zhao Mingyue's school after getting off the plane. Zhao Mingyue was having dinner with her mother at a small folding table in the corridor. The evening breeze was quite cool, and the daytime heat was gradually dissipating. Zhao Mingyue was sitting with her back to the stairs, and Hu Nianchun was sitting opposite her. Upon seeing Shen Xuyue, the bean sprouts she had picked up with her chopsticks fell onto the table.
Zhao Mingyue watched as her mother dropped the vegetables: "Mom, what happened..."
Hu Nianchun's face lit up with joy: "Little Shen is back!"
Zhao Mingyue turned around abruptly and saw her husband standing behind her with one bag on his back and another in each hand. She was so shocked that she almost fell off the small chair. Shen Xuyue quickly dropped the bag in his hand and rushed over to support her: "Wife!"
Shen Xuyue never called her "wife" in front of outsiders, but now he was so excited he couldn't control himself, and the word "wife" slipped out. Zhao Mingyue put down her chopsticks and tried to stand up shakily: "Why are you back?"
"Don't stand up, sit down." Shen Xuyue helped her sit down again. "I'm back, Mingyue, Mom."
Tears welled up in Zhao Mingyue's eyes: "I thought you really wouldn't be able to come back until after the baby was born."
Shen Xuyue's nose also felt a little sore, and he knelt down beside Zhao Mingyue: "I'm sorry, Mingyue, for making you wait so long. My heart has already flown back."
Hu Nianchun had already gone inside to get the bowls. His daughter and son-in-law hadn't seen each other for so long, so naturally they had a lot to say to each other.
Zhao Mingyue said, "You haven't had dinner yet, have you? Put your things down, go wash your face, and come eat quickly." Her mother was still there; it was better to have private conversations in private.
Shen Xuyue quickly put down the bag on his shoulder, then carried the two duffel bags into the house. He washed his face and hands, sat down at the table, and kept looking at Zhao Mingyue. When he left, Zhao Mingyue's belly was not showing at all. Now her belly was round and plump, like a balloon, and she had gained a lot of weight. Her face had become very round, but her skin seemed to be even better, fair and rosy, and very radiant.
Zhao Mingyue felt embarrassed by his constant staring: "You've changed a lot, haven't you? You almost don't recognize me, do you?"
Shen Xuyue said, "Yes, a little. I'm sorry, Mingyue, I've made you suffer."
Zhao Mingyue looked at her husband and said, "You've lost weight and gotten darker."
Shen Xuyue said, "The sun there is stronger than here, so people get tanned and look thinner. I think the food you and Mom cook isn't to my liking, so neither of us can gain weight."
"It must be because the course load is too heavy that you've lost so much weight. You should eat well when you get back." Zhao Mingyue kept putting food on Shen Xuyue's plate.
Looking at the overflowing bowl of food, Shen Xuyue felt a pang of sadness: "You should eat some too."
Looking at Shen Xuyue, Zhao Mingyue finally felt a sense of unease, a feeling that had been building up inside her. It had been almost half a year, and this person had finally returned to her side. It all felt unreal.
Both of them had a lot to say, but they didn't know where to begin, so they ate their meal in silence. Shen Xuyue had returned suddenly, and since the meal wasn't enough, Hu Nianchun quickly made him a bowl of noodles.
After finishing their meal and clearing the table, Shen Xuyue rushed to wash the dishes. Hu Nianchun, watching his son-in-law's retreating figure, said to Zhao Mingyue, "That's good, Xiao Shen is finally back."
Zhao Mingyue wiped away her tears with her fingers, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Hu Nianchun patted his daughter's hand: "Don't worry now, why are you crying? You should be happy."
Zhao Mingyue nodded, her tears turning into a smile: "Mm."
Hu Nianchun said, "What should we do tonight? Should Xiao Shen go home to stay?"
Zhao Mingyue said, "That's the only way. Tell him to get the apartment at his workplace ready in the next few days and move in."
Hu Nianchun said, "You're about to give birth, it's not good to move around so much. Why don't you wait until after you give birth to move?" The older generation is very particular about childbirth. During pregnancy, moving, moving furniture, or repairing the house are all forbidden, for fear of disturbing the fetus.
Zhao Mingyue said, "What should we do then? What if I go into labor tonight? How will we get to the hospital, Mom?"
Hu Nianchun thought for a moment and said, "Then when you're close to giving birth, I'll go stay at your mother-in-law's house for a few nights and have him stay here to look after you."
For the first time, Zhao Mingyue realized that living in a cramped house was such a miserable experience.
Shen Xuyue returned and, hearing the mother and daughter discussing something, asked, "What are you talking about?"
Hu Nianchun said, "When Mingyue is about to be born, I will come to stay at your house, and you can stay here and take care of her."
"Aren't you moving back home?" Shen Xuyue asked.
Zhao Mingyue said, "My mom said it's bad luck to move during pregnancy."
Shen Xuyue was taken aback for a moment: "Then I'll stay at the guesthouse. Mingyue will give birth in about half a month at most, right?"
Hu Nianchun said, "Why stay in a guesthouse? It's a waste of money." The old man was always reluctant to spend that little bit of money.
Shen Xuyue said, "It won't cost much, Mom. We'll all feel more at ease if I stay here. Or we can move back home now. Mingyue is about to give birth, and I can't rest easy without her by my side." He had already been absent for so long, and of course he couldn't continue to be absent, otherwise he would feel ashamed to be a husband and father.
Zhao Mingyue said, "It's fine to move back. You should hurry up and get your apartment ready so you can move there after you have the baby. I don't want to move to your parents' place. Moving back and forth is too much of a hassle."
Shen Xuyue nodded: "Alright, I'll go to my workplace to report for duty tomorrow. I probably won't be back to work so soon. I'll get the house ready first, and I'll stay at the guesthouse tonight."
Hu Nianchun said, "Since you're still staying at the guesthouse, I'll go stay there too, so you two can have a chat."
Zhao Mingyue didn't object. Shen Xuyue declined for a moment, but eventually accepted the suggestion. Of course, he wanted to spend some quality time with his wife; after all, they hadn't seen each other for so long, and he had so much to say, but it wouldn't be appropriate to say it in front of his mother-in-law. His mother-in-law was so understanding, he couldn't refuse her offer.
Hu Nianchun said, "Then let's say that."
Shen Xuyue helped his wife sit on the bed, opened his luggage, and started taking things out. When he left, Zhao Mingyue only packed one duffel bag for him, but when he came back, he brought three duffel bags, which were bulging with food, household items, clothes, toys and everything else.
Zhao Mingyue looked at all the things he took out and asked, "Where did you get so much money? Did you only use the money you brought for food?" She believed in the saying "a poor family needs to be frugal on the road," and when Shen Xuyue went abroad, Zhao Mingyue gave him all the money in the family, and his parents also gave him some money for emergencies.
Shen Xuyue said, "I get paid when I go there to study, and it's paid according to their standards. It looks like a lot, but it didn't actually cost much. There are weight limits on luggage, and you have to pay extra if you exceed them." As he spoke, he took out a denim skirt and gave it to Zhao Mingyue, "This is for you. Foreigners all wear denim; it's fashionable."
Zhao Mingyue held it up and gestured, "Okay. I can't wear it now, I'll wear it later."
Shen Xuyue took out an exquisite box and handed it to Hu Nianchun: "Mom, this is American ginseng for you. It can replenish qi and blood. You can eat it directly or stew it in soup." He also brought some deep-sea fish oil, lecithin, ginkgo tablets and other health products for the elders, razors for the men, scarves for the women, and small toys for the children.
Hu Nianchun held a bunch of things in his hands and said, "It's really kind of you to think of everything so thoroughly, bringing them all the way back from the United States. Everyone should have some."
Shen Xuyue said apologetically, "We're going to such a far place, so we should bring back something for everyone. But we only have limited resources, so we can only bring back some souvenirs. We hope you won't mind."
Hu Nianchun said, "The thought is what counts, and these things certainly aren't cheap."
That's true. Even though things are cheaper in the US, prices are still higher than in China, given the difference in living standards. Shen Xuyue went there for an exchange program, not to study abroad, so he wasn't allowed to work. He could only earn a small salary by helping professors with experiments in the lab, which wasn't much. As a result, he spent almost all his money when he returned.
He would bring back some small souvenir gifts for his family, but he definitely couldn't skimp on things for his wife and kids. After all, it was a rare trip to the United States, so he brought Zhao Mingyue perfume, skincare and cosmetics, clothes, shoes, and handbags, and also bought educational toys and ready-made clothes for the kids.
Looking at the pile of things on the bed, Zhao Mingyue wondered how much this must have cost. He must have saved all his money to buy things for his family.
Zhao Mingyue asked, "What did you buy for yourself?"
Shen Xuyue paused for a moment: "I bought a pair of shoes myself, which are the ones I'm wearing now, as well as the T-shirt and pants I'm wearing, all of which I bought in the United States."
Zhao Mingyue looked down and saw that he was wearing a pair of leather sandals, probably bought because it was too hot over there in the summer. They were already worn out. Her nose suddenly felt sore, and she didn't look up for a long time. Shen Xuyue was still packing his things, sorting out the things he would take back to his parents and older brother and sister, and didn't notice that Zhao Mingyue's mood had dropped.
Hu Nianchun said, "Xiao Shen, you stay home and tidy up. I'll go with Mingyue to take a bath."
Shen Xuyue straightened up: "Oh, okay, things are too messy, I'll tidy them up."
Zhao Mingyue went to the public bathhouse with her mother. She was too heavy to bend over and needed help bathing. Hu Nianchun sighed, "Xiao Shen really doesn't spend money on himself; he buys things for everyone." How could a mother not be gratified that her daughter had found such a considerate man?
That evening, Hu Nianchun insisted on staying at the guesthouse so that the young couple could reunite. The weather was too hot, and the couple, who were finally able to reunite, could not even hug, let alone kiss. It was too hot, and they would sweat profusely at the slightest touch. With a large, ball-like belly between them, the couple could only lie on their sides facing each other and talk about their longing for each other after being apart.
Zhao Mingyue was excited and didn't want to sleep until very late, even though she was already very sleepy. Shen Xuyue touched her face and said, "Wife, go to sleep. I won't leave."
Zhao Mingyue reached out and grasped one of Shen Xuyue's fingers, then closed her eyes and began to sleep. In the darkness, Shen Xuyue listened to Zhao Mingyue's breathing and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had managed to return before the baby was born; otherwise, he would have been a truly incompetent father.
That night, Shen Xuyue finally understood the hardships of being pregnant. Zhao Mingyue had to turn over several times while sleeping because her belly was so big that it was very uncomfortable to stay in one position for too long. She had to change positions every now and then to find a comfortable one to sleep in. She also got a leg cramp once during the night, which was so painful that she woke up the soundly sleeping Shen Xuyue to massage her leg.
Shen Xuyue said, "Why are you having cramps? Are you lacking something?"
"The doctor said it was a calcium deficiency. I used to have frequent cramps, but it's gotten much better recently."
"If you're deficient in calcium, take calcium supplements," Shen Xuyue said worriedly.
"I've been replenishing my body by drinking bone broth every day, but it might be a bit monotonous now, as my absorption isn't as good as before," Zhao Mingyue yawned.
Shen Xuyue said, "Tomorrow I'll ask the doctor what else is suitable for calcium supplementation. Are you feeling better?"
"Mmm, much better, it doesn't hurt anymore. Go to sleep, honey," Zhao Mingyue said groggily.
When Shen Xuyue first heard her call him "husband," he was quite surprised, as it seemed that no one in China called their husbands that. He had met some Taiwanese Chinese in San Francisco who did call their husbands "husband," and Shen Xuyue had pondered this carefully, finding the term quite fitting for a wife. He was overjoyed that his own wife would call him that, and quickly kissed her on the lips, saying, "Wife, go to sleep."
The next day, Shen Xuyue brought his wife and mother-in-law home. His parents were relieved to see him return; they felt guilty for not letting their son back sooner. His return was a relief.
Shen Xuyue didn't linger. After returning home, he went to his workplace to report for duty and to tidy up his apartment. Zhao Mingyue went with him to take a look. The apartment was built a couple of years ago, and for this era, the layout was quite reasonable. In her opinion, it was acceptable; at least it was a separate space with a separate kitchen and bathroom.
The couple roughly planned how to arrange the furniture, and then left the rest to Shen Xuyue. Zhao Mingyue was pregnant, so naturally she wouldn't help with the move.
After arriving home, Shen Xuyue only had one day to rest. Fortunately, Yang Maolin was home, so he asked him for help. That day, he drove all the furniture to the new house, and then used his spare time to slowly clean and decorate the new home.
In the early hours of August 6th, Zhao Mingyue, who was sleeping, suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She had a premonition that she was about to give birth, so she quickly woke up Shen Xuyue, who was sleeping soundly: "Xuyue, Xuyue, my stomach hurts."
Shen Xuyue was so startled that he sat up abruptly: "Huh? Wife, are you about to give birth? I'll take you to the hospital."
Zhao Mingyue frowned and said, "It's starting to hurt, but don't worry, we'll go call Mom over in a bit."
Shen Xuyue came to his senses: "There are still several days until the due date, why is it so early? Is it premature?"
Zhao Mingyue gave a weak laugh: "No, the doctor said this is normal. After eight and a half months, it's not considered premature. Go call Mom. I'm fine. I won't give birth anytime soon."
"Okay, okay, I'll go right away." Shen Xuyue hurriedly agreed and jumped up to call for help.
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